With her deep red hair tied in a low ponytail at the nape of her neck and sharp red eyes glaring at me, the woman standing before us was Selma Claudel.
She was the leader of an S-Rank party belonging to the Silver Rabbit of the Night Sky. Among the explorers of this country, she was a celebrity who rivaled even Oliver, the leader of the Hero Party.
Well, given her striking beauty and her reputation as the Continent's Greatest Enchanter, her fame was perfectly understandable. Even so, why was she glaring at me with such blatant hostility?
Her party had reached the 92nd Floor of the Great Labyrinth, making them the group that had reached the second-deepest floor among all active explorers, trailing only the Hero Party. Back in my Hero Party days, I’d certainly kept tabs on their progress to ensure we weren’t overtaken. She likely did the same regarding us.
However, that didn't give her the right to look at me like I’d committed a crime.
"You’ve got some nerve, trying to pick up my cute fourteen-year-old sister."
...Ah, so that was it.
"It's a misunderstanding. It’s true I invited her to dinner, but I have no ulterior motives."
"Hah? Are you saying my Sophia isn't cute enough to have motives for?"
This woman is a nightmare... She sounds like a total doting parent. No matter how I answer, I lose.
"Oh, stop it, Big Sis! Don't say such rude things to my savior!"
"...What? Savior? Sophia, did you go into the Labyrinth alone?"
At Sophia’s outburst, Selma’s expression shifted to one of suspicion as she looked down at her sister.
"Ah, well, you see... that is..."
Sophia realized her slip of the tongue and slumped her shoulders, looking exactly like a child caught in an act of mischief.
"Sigh... So you did. I told you a dozen times to be patient because we’ll be diving into the Great Labyrinth every day starting the day after tomorrow."
"I'm sorry..."
"...Well, you made it back without a scratch, so I won't nag you too much. But you are not to go in alone ever again. Understood?"
"...Okay."
Selma’s face transformed. The harsh glare vanished, replaced by a soft, warm smile as she patted Sophia’s head. Talk about the carrot and the stick.
"Orun, you have my thanks for saving my sister. I apologize for my rude behavior earlier."
"I don't mind. More importantly, we’re drawing a lot of stares. I'd like to sit down soon—would you mind if I joined you?"
It looked like we were having a public spat with a high-ranking member of the Clan that owned this tavern, and the surrounding customers were starting to eye us with judgment. I wanted to escape the attention, and I figured that sitting with Selma would signal to the room that everything was fine.
"Of course, no problem. Sophia, let's have dinner together."
"Yeah!"
I sat directly across from Selma, while Sophia took the seat beside her. After Sophia and I looked over the menu and ordered a few dishes, the three of us began our meal.
"Still, I believe this is the first time we've actually had a proper conversation, isn't it?"
Selma spoke to me with a casual friendliness, as if her earlier hostility had been a mere illusion.
"I suppose so. Even during last month's joint subjugation, we only spoke about combat logistics."
She had naturally participated in that mission. Since we were both Enchanters, Selma had taken overall command of the lines while I focused on providing her with direct support.
I had only met Selma in person last month, but I’d known of her long before that. One might say that was a given, considering her title, but the real reason she was called the "Continent's Greatest" was because she was the first explorer to make Support Magic the cornerstone of her Labyrinth dives.
Perhaps there were other Enchanters before her, but she was undoubtedly the one who made the role famous.
Until a few years ago, the standard party composition was four "Attackers"—usually Warriors or Mages—and one Healer. Looking back, it was a ridiculously "muscle-brained" setup, but it was the common sense of the era.
Selma was the one who challenged that status quo when she was only sixteen. She pioneered the concept of "Roles," dividing party members into three categories: "Attackers" for damage, "Defenders" to act as shields and draw enemy attention, and "Supporters" like Enchanters or Healers to buff and mend the team.
This shift improved a party’s combat endurance exponentially. Once Selma’s party began shattering records for the deepest floors reached by active explorers, her concept of roles spread like wildfire. Now, it was considered the gold standard for any serious party.
The Hero Party was no exception; they were inspired by her success, which was ultimately what led to me being converted into an Enchanter.
"Hey, Big Sis, have you two known each other for a long time?"
"Hm? What’s this, Sophia? You didn't know who Orun was?"
"Um, no... Is he someone famous?"
"Naturally. Orun is a member of the Hero Party—the first team in history to reach the 94th Floor of the Great Labyrinth of the South."
"The Hero Party? ...Wait, what? Eeeeeeeh?!"
Well, unlike the other four members, very few people actually recognize me. My position as an Enchanter is low-profile by nature, and I mostly handled the Hero Party’s "back-office" work. I never personally appeared in the newspapers.
For that matter, why do the papers even bother featuring famous or promising explorers anyway? It serves as a metric for nobles and large merchant guilds to decide where to invest—essentially, whether or not to provide financial backing to a specific explorer, party, or clan.
Standard explorers earn their keep by selling Magic Stones and materials to the Guild. That money covers their living expenses and their activity funds. Those funds have to cover everything from weapons and armor to Magic Tools. Naturally, prices vary wildly; if you want the best gear, you need a mountain of gold.
Trying to fully equip an entire party through Guild sales alone is a grueling task. That’s where the nobles and merchant guilds come in. With their sponsorship, a party can afford top-tier equipment.
Of course, they don't provide this gold out of the goodness of their hearts—though you might find the occasional eccentric who does. These "sponsors" see it less as financial aid and more as buying the rights to the materials directly from the source.
As a rule, the Guild buys everything and then resells it to whoever wants it. This means there's no guarantee a specific merchant can get the exact materials they need when they need them. By sponsoring a party, they pay in advance and have the explorers harvest specific items for them. It’s a much more reliable supply chain.
Because of this, sponsors use newspaper reports to scout for explorers with the highest probability of actually returning from the Labyrinth alive. There are other reasons for sponsorship, of course, but that’s the long and short of it.
"U-Um, well, er..."
Sophia had been a bit shy around me from the start, but now she was vibrating with nervous tension. I suppose the title of "Hero" carries a weight that even a rookie who knows nothing about the industry finds intimidating. Or maybe that’s just her personality.
"You don't need to be so formal," I said, trying to keep my voice gentle. "Besides, I'm not a Hero anymore."
Despite my attempt to soothe her, she didn't relax. She just nodded stiffly, unable to find her words.
"...Hm? Not a Hero? Did you leave the party?"
Selma was sharp. She immediately latched onto my comment and guessed the truth. I suppose she doesn't miss a beat when it comes to news about the Hero Party. I’d hoped she might let it slide if I said it casually, but no such luck. Still, it’ll be public knowledge soon enough, so there was no harm in telling her.
"Yes. As of yesterday, I'm no longer with them. The reason I ran into Sophia today was because I was testing my current abilities in a low-difficulty Labyrinth."
My solo dive today had proven that I was stronger than I had been years ago before I’d set down the sword. My accumulated knowledge and techniques had paid off. I now knew for a fact that I could handle the Middle Floors of the Great Labyrinth alone.
As long as I worked as a solo explorer, the income from those floors would ensure I’d never run out of money. I’d saved Sophia, and my data-gathering was a success. All in all, it had been a satisfying day.
"To let go of someone of your caliber... has Oliver lost his mind? By any logic, he should have fought to keep you. Why did you leave?"
It seemed Selma assumed it had been my decision to walk away. I saw no reason to correct her. Admitting I’d been kicked out would just be embarrassing.
"Internal circumstances. Both Oliver and I are satisfied with the outcome."
After the way the others mocked me, I had zero intention of ever going back.
"I see... In that case, Orun, you’re currently a free agent?"
"W-Well, yes. I suppose I am."
Selma’s expression shifted. She looked like she was plotting something. Was she about to scout me for her Clan? It was a flattering thought, but I wasn't in the mood to join another organization just yet.
"If your schedule is open, would you be willing to accompany my Clan on a 'Teaching Exploration' starting the day after tomorrow? I promise the reward will be worth your while."
"...A Teaching Exploration?"
It wasn't a recruitment offer. I found myself instinctively repeating the unfamiliar term.